GREENDALE — Leases are already being signed for the first of three Greenbelt luxury apartment buildings on the northeast side of the Southridge Mall.

The most northern Greenbelt building at 5204 S. 76th St., is slated to open in January. The second building also under construction should be open March 1, said Reggie Belanger, director of residential properties for Joseph Property Development.

Together the two buildings will have 92 units.

No start time has been set for the third building. It will be built on the site of a former tire store a little south of the other two buildings. That building will have 68 apartments, bringing the total for the three Greenbelt buildings to 160 units.

They are one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments with floor plans ranging from 840 square feet to 1,740 square feet.

The Greenbelt Apartments are not only near Southridge, but are within walking distance of the Greendale historic village. Having more people living near the village to patronize businesses there is seen as desirable, said Village Manager Todd Michaels. In fact only a short time ago, village officials considered establishing a special taxing unit to promote apartments or condominiums in the downtown. However, that particular plan has been dropped, Michaels said.

Although it's still very early in the leasing process, Belanger said Greenbelt Apartments tenants seem to be a broad mix of people from millennials to empty-nesters.

"One thing that we have found is that Greendale residents are very loyal to Greendale and want to stay in Greendale," he said.